Grain-cleaner.



` No. 657,377. Patented Sept. 4, |900.

J. P. ADMIS.

GRAIN CLEANER. (Applinaxiop mad .my 1o, 1899.1.

(No Model.)

l JEda/n 19%)?? sAfomjzys, I

No. 657,377. Patented Sept. 4, |900.

J. P. ADAMS.

GRAIN CLEANER.

(Applifion med July 1o, 1899.)

{Sheets- Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

AAJ.

UNITED STATES Pn'rniwi? OFFICE.

JOSEPH P. ADAMS, OF GARFIELD, WASHINGTON.

`-c RAIN-CLEANER."

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 657,377, dated September 4, 1900. Application lled duly 10, 1899`k Serial No. 723,352. (No model.)

T0 a/ZZ wnhfom/ it may concern.- .l s Be it known that I, JOSEPH P. ADAMS, la; citizen of the United States, residing at Garfield, in the county of Whitman andState ofigrain-cleaners adapted to be used as an at' tachment to or in connection with grain-sep-j arators, threshing-machines, and analogous structures, although it may be used singly as'l a grain-separator.

One object of the inventionis to provide ag cleaning mechanism as a substitute for theI ordinary shaking-sieve for the purpose of cleaning Vand-separatingthe grain from the chaff and small seeds, by which. the tendency of the parts to become choked or clogged up` is wholly obviated, thus promoting the effi-` ciency and thoroughness in the operation of l A further object is to provide means by which the grain is subjectedwhile in a state of agitation to the `action o f an air-current which lifts the foreign matter from the surface of a reel and carries 'off such foreign matter to prevent the' same from passing with the grain through the reel, said air-current also conveying away'the light particles of chad and dust which may be blown out of the rgrain by the action of a' blast from a blast-fan.

With these ends in view the invention consists inthe novel combination of mechanisms and in the construction and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully.described and claimed. s

-In the drawings, Figure l ,is a side elevation of a grain-,cleaner embodying my invention. Fig. 2fis a vertical cross-section through the cleaner on the plane indicated by the dots ted line 2 2 of Fig. 3.' Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section at right angles to the plane of Fig. 2-andon the-line 3 3of said Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view on thehorizolr tal line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

The same numerals of reference fare used to indicate like and corresponding parts in each ofthe several figures lof the drawings.

The frame or casing of my improved graincleaner is indicated by the numeral 10, the same beingshown as a generally-rectangular boxing arrangedin an upright position; but

it-is evident that the contourand arrangement of the casing are not material. A feedhopper 11 of any suitable type is supported Aon top of the casing in any approved way,

and'this hopper is provided with an inclined bottom board 12, which is arranged to discharge the grain upon the surface of one reel that is supported within the casing, said inclined board l2having a yieldable flap 12a at its free delivery end. A discharge-slot 1l is 'provided in one wall of the hopper over the f bottom board, and this slot is adapted to be partly or wholly closed by a sliding gate 13, which is provided with a vertical slot 14C, through which slot passes aclampingbolt 15, that is attached to-the hopper, whereby the gate and bolt may be adjusted to vary the area of the slot 11, and thus regulate the quantity of grain which may be fed to the upperrevoluble reel 16.

My improvedgrain-cleaner is equipped with two reels 16 17, which are supported within the casing in different horizontal planes and preferably in the'same vertical plane, although the arrangement of the reels directly one below the other is not essential.V

Each reel is carried by and revoluble with a horizontal shaft 1S, which is arranged transversely with the casing and is journaled in suitable bearings 19 thereon. (See Fig. 3.) The ends of each reel-shaft are extended beyond the bearings in the casing,an l against one end of f the reel-shaft is arranged to operate the inner end of a regulating-screw 20,

said screw supported in a fixed bracket 21, so 'as to lie in axial alinement with the reel-shaft and having an exposed head `by which the screw may be conveniently rotated for the purpose of giving a limited endwise adjustment tothe shaft 18'and the reel thereon. Each reel consists of a pair of ring-like or annular heads 22, a screen fabric 23, two series of straight radial elastic or spring arms IOO l tant features'of *myl rinvention is ein-ploy `ment of` twoseries olf` spring-arms frwhol y supporting the cylindrical screen or fabi-'icon the shaft, whereby the screen is adapted 'to rotate with the shaft, and itsspringfarls perlmit the screen or reelto have alimited end` wise movement with respect te and'indepe'nrlr t ently offthereel-shaft, and, moreover, the

2 elasticjy supporting spring arms, tending; to

" 1 lao `Each revolublescreen vor t t .at one end thereofwith aseriesof shoe-supremain straight, react upon eachotherandJ keepthescreen in equilibrium or balanced-- and make the screen very .sensitive to *pres r l. ,sure exertediendwise thereon, so that very; A i l little force isneeded to vib'rate the screeng.-

the springs acting in bothv directions longi-v tudinally on the'screenf.

reelfis provided ports 27, 'which' are preferably embodied in A .theform of blocks that are firmly fas'tenedl` to one of ,the screenor reel heads. l'Ih'ke'sey sevriesgof supports or'blocks have the series.ofA

i {roller-shoes E-'mounted idly thereon through the medium ofthe axles 29, the latterfbei-xg vfastened lto thesupports in any approved way, while theroller-shoes are fittedidlyy on*v theaxles, so as lto -b`e sustained .thereby intheA same vertical, plane beyond oneendoftheelastically-'supported' and revoluble reel `or screen. An annular trackv is provided with ags'e'ries of radial ribs or shoulderslSI-,LV

*and this track is fixed tothe inside of one" roller-shoes.

wallfof the' casing l0,`so as to lievkiln' lthe sainey horizontal planeas andV concentric withthe revoluble cylindrical screen or reel;vl The ribbedftrack and elasti'cally-s'upported' reel or screen are arranged in close rel-a-tion'for the roller-,shoes` 28 to ride again'strthe vribs-for shoulders 3l of the annular track, said .ribs Vor shoulders lbeing disposed radially` to `the The employmentof thersh'oes' on the elastically-supported and revolubl'ef l Q reell and adapted tori-de on the ribbed trackk serves to give va jarringpor vibrating motion tothe reel or screenfabric, because the -rollervshoes are adapted to ride upon the ribsfto force the reel ,orV screen positi'vely'inl o'n'edi-y said ribs thearms react to return the reel or screen to its .initial position, whereby the reel orscreen maybe jarred to keep the meshes of the fabric' ina clean"V condition free from accumulation of refusefandwithout imparting anendwise movement 'to the shaft by which thereel is rotated. It is evidenttha'tv vthe'shaft of each reellmay beadj usted alfimitf. 6o

ed distance by proper. manipulation of the screw 2O to varyfthe position of. the rollershoes relative to the `ribs o-V the annular track,

- andV thus the extent of vibrationv given ltothe reel or cylinder may easily be regulated.l

Below the upper revoluble reel or cylinder 16 are arranged the' inclined cant-boards 32 .l 33, the cant-board 32 lying directly below!j the Vreel 16and inclined in a reverse direction -tothe cant-'board 33. The two"cantboards are supportedv'in kfixed positions'wi'thin the casing 10 in any suitable way, and the Vcantboari' 33 is lextended or. carried belowr the edge ofthe cantboard32and is spaced .relatively#theiw'aln)to 'provide anfopening or passage throughwhich the seeds m ay fall or gravitate. in a. direction to 4expose, the falling seed "to the action ofa blast of'airfy from a fan 34. -This' fan is .carried by a V'shaft 35, which ris .,journaled in properbearings of thecasing 10,- s'o' asf-tov lire ijn' a' horzb'ta1'-rplm1`e below the -ieverselyinclinfedcantboards;` This fan`34 tisjinclosed by a fcasin1g36, which isformed `With a lip 37 a1thatj'oins withthe free edge of gthe cant-board' 33, (see Fig.. 2,)jthe discharge yfmouthfor. port of Vthisfan-casing lBti-being be- `low-and?'contiguous to tliespac'e between 'the ecantbo`ardsf32 33, whereby'the Vfan 34fdirects blastof air through-the falling'4 seed Ifor the purpose of carrying awayV the dirt,1chaif, 'imp'erfect f`seeds',1andf refuse which may be vcontai'nedin thergrain;` Another cant-board .3 1 isarranged inan inclined position between Ethe upp'e'r'an-d lower reels-'16217, said cantboard-.lying quite close tothe iupper'surface of the-lower reel A17'` and occupyingaspaced cant-board 37'is inclined toward an apron 38,

'I :wh-ichis situatedlbelowf'the blast-fan; and, 'is

.inclined toward the `lowerreel'l?, said apron v l occupying al spaced relationtorthe lower edge ofl thecant-board 37 for the purposeof re.- v ceiving these'edswhichm ay be delivered fro rn said.` cant-board. to` the apron, whereby` the `17.` A 'tailings-spout39 is formed` between `the backwallof thezcas-ing l0and-'an inclined ,wall-40.whichfis' fixed below the cant-board "'37 and' to-'one side of thel lower reel-.orscreen ylr'-,all as Aclearly''show-n. by 2,;sa'id tailings'spout) :having adischarge-opening` 40, bywhichtheg'rain may be deli vered from' the cleanerfto a'suitable receptacle. The -igrain whichlisideliveretl niponithelower reel or cylindex; 1,7 and' whichlis large to'pass through the screen fabric thereof is carriedover the cylinderV during 4its re,yolntion and deposited `i1-nza.grain-spout 41,` which. is formed between t-h-'roug'h the screenfabric of the reel is dropped -into-aspout 45, which is formed between the :inclined walls-43 44at the lowerl part of the easing, (see Fig; 2,) thus providinglsep'arate 'discharges' forjthe; desirable. grain' and the small seeds which maybe separated there- 'from by the actionofthe operative elements ofl my improved.grain-cleaningl machine.

' Afan-casing 46 is ixedl to the top` of the .machine-casing 10 in a position at one-side of the feed-hopper 11, (seeFig. 4,) andwithin said `casingi46 is contained a revoluble fan apron. isadapted. to discharge-the graini-n pon the screenfabricf of lthelower reelor screen IIO `the walls 42,y while the seedy which ypasses 47, the shaft 47a of which is journaled in suitable bearings on the machine-casing 10. One

end of this fan-casing communicates with `a communication with a depending wind-trunk 50, which extends in avertical direction into the' machine-casing 10, so as to communicate with the chamber in said casing approximately on'the plaire of the shaft forthe upper reel. This vertical wind-trunk is'provided at its free depending end witha hinged flap-valve 51, adapted to regulate the strength of the suction current which is created through the casing of the* machinel for the purpose of carrying away the refuse and imperfect seeds. `It will he noted that the lower receiving end of the wind-trunk 50 is adapted to receive the exhaust or blast from the blastfan 34, and the current which enters the windtrunk is adapted to traverse the falling grain which maybe discharged over the upperreel or screen 16, whereby. the grain from the upper reel which fiows into the tailings-spout 39 is cleaned and the impurities blown out of the grain by the blast from the fan 34, carried olf by the suction-current through the vertical wind-trunk. The horizontal wind-` trunk 48 has communication with one end of the fan-casing 46 by means of an inlet-port 49, and the current which may be drawn through the wind-trunk from the port 49 may be regulated by adjustment of a valve 53, which is shown by Fig. 4 as arranged to partly or wholly close the inlet-port 52. The fan-casing 46 is provided with a laterally-extending discharge-mouth 46, as shown by Fig. 4 and by dotted lines in Fig. 2, through which mouth the suction-current and the dust and light particles of refuse are blown by the action of the fan. It is to be observed that the mouth or port 49 of the horizontal windtrunk lies contiguous to theupper surface of the screen 16, and the suction-current created through this wind-trunk by the rotary action of the fan 47 traverses the screen fabric of the reel 16, so as to lift the refuse which may lodge thereon, whereby the suction-current, in connection with the vibratory motion given by the' screen, effectually overcomes clogging 0f the meshes in the screen fabric by the lodgment of grain therein.

The shaft of the suction-fan is provided with a pulley 54, while the blast-fan shaft has a pulley 55. The reel-shafts are provided with pulleys 56 57, and in a horizontal plane between the reel-shaft is arranged the driv` ing-shaft 58. This driving-shaft is equipped with a series of pulleys for operating the shafts of the two fans and the two reels. An endless belt 59 drives the pulley 54 on the .the pulley 55 of the blast-fan. .pulleys on the driving-shaft 58 extend the tailings-chu te 39.

shaft of the suction-famand this last-named shaft drives an endless belt`60, which rotates From suitable belts 61, which t the pulleys 56 57 for the operation of the reels 16 17.

The grain or seed to be cleaned'is deposited in the hopper 11, and by proper adjustment of the sliding gate the amount of grain which passes through the upper reel 16 may be regu lated. The two reels are rotated by the inotion given to their shafts, and at the same time the reels are vibrated` independently without endwise movement of the shaft by the roller-shoes riding on the annular tracks. A part of the grain deposited on the upper reel`l6 passes throughfthe interstices in the screen fabric, so as to drop through the space of the reel and lodge upon the cant-boards 32 33, while the grain which is too large to pass through the screen fabric of the reel 16 is carried over the same and deposited in the rent which passes through the port 49 and the horizontal wind-trunk, thus causing the air to pass in an upward direction through the top of the reel and making the suctioncurrent have a `tendency to lift the foreign matter off the reel and to carry the light matter to the fan 47. The grain which drops through the bottom of the upper reel is discharged to the cant-board into the blast of air from the fan, so that the tailings will be blown into the screening-spout while the ex` haust from the blast-fan is taken up by the suction-current through the depending windtrunk and thence to the suction-fan, by which the refuse is blown through the `dischargemouth 46a to a suitable place of discharge. The seed which lodges upon the cant-board 37 and the apron 38 is delivered to the lower reel 17, and some of the seeds pass through the `fabric of said reel, so as to be discharged into the spout 45, while the larger seeds are carried over the reel and deposited in the spout 41. It is to be understood that the reels are to be covered with fabrics having meshes of proper size to separate seeds of one kind from grain of another kind-as, for example, if cockle-seed are to be separated from wheat the screens will be made of proper size for the cockle-seed to pass therethrough.

Changes may be made in the form and proportion of some of the parts while their essential features are retained and the spirit of 'the invention embodied.` Hence I do not desire to be limited to the precise form of all the parts as shown, reserving the right to vary therefrom.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is-V 1. A horizontally-disposed revoluble screen, in combination with a revoluble shaft, and straight, radial, balancing spring-arms having their inner ends secured to said shaft, said straight, radial balancing spring-arms During this action of the reel 16 the grain is subjected tov suctioncur- IIO havingtheirouter .ends connectedto the 1 `screen, and forming the sole supports there'- of, and means to vibrate said screenlongitudinallylindepe'ndently of said shaft, snbstantiallyas described.`

2. In a grain-cleaning machine, the combination with acasing anda revoluble reel therein, -of4 thereversely inclined` cant#- boards, 32, 33, sitnated below the reel and arranged relatively one to the other to form V.a grain-passage therebetween, a' blast-fan hav ing itsfnionth contiguous to one cant-board for discharging ythe blast' of air to the grain tal wind-trunk having aA mouth adjacent to eating with vthe chamber of the ma'chine-ca's-` r.ing and arranged tov receive the exhaust from the blast-fan, substantially as described.

' 3. A grainfvcleaning machine comprising a Awhich is discharged from said cant-board, `a

sn @tion-fan 'casin g, Va fan therein, a '-horizon# the reel, andavalved wind-trunkcommunithe `presence of Atwo'` machine-casing, therevolnble reels lounted in said casing one below the other, the reverselyfinclined cant-boards below the upper reel, a1 blast-fan below said cant-boards, an inclined cant-board,l 37, over the -lower reel 'andmin spaced're1ation to one cant-board to :form therebetween .apassage -for the blast from said fan', aninclined apron, `38,1 below .theca'nt-vboard, 3'47, andrdischarging to the vlOWerreeI," a discharge-chutebelow the cantboard,37, andarrange'd to receive theV tailfings from the'upp'er reel,and other dischargechntesbelow the lower ,reel,substantial ly as described. f I. n W e Inktestimony that Ifclaim the foregoing as myiow-n `I' have heretoafed my signature in witnesses. y JOSEPH "P. ADAMS.

Witnesses: e

f G. J. BISHOP, l ,n i'

g T. JDEMOBE'ST. 4 g 

